Dogs, our loyal companions, thrive on engaging activities that challenge their minds and reinforce positive behavior. One delightful game that accomplishes both is dog Hide and Go Seek; by engaging dogs in puzzle-solving activities like hide and go seek it offers unique cognitive and behavioral benefits that complement physical exercise. While physical activity is crucial for a dog’s overall health and vitality, mental stimulation is equally important, and puzzles challenge a dog’s intellect, encouraging problem-solving skills and enhancing their cognitive abilities.
Mental Stimulation
Unlike physical activities alone, hide and go seek require dogs to think, strategize, and use their senses to find solutions. Mental stimulation through puzzles can alleviate boredom, reduce anxiety, and prevent destructive behaviors that often stem from a lack of mental engagement.
Games like hide and go treat can mimic the thrill of hunting and foraging, providing dogs with a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. This mental workout not only sharpens their minds but also fosters a deeper bond between dogs and their owners, creating a well-rounded, happy, and intellectually satisfied canine companion.
Let’s explore the art of playing “hide and go treat” with your dog, step by step, ensuring every tail wags with joy.
Luna Playing Hide and Go Treat
1. Gather Supplies: Setting the Stage for Fun
Before diving into the world of dog Hide and Go Seek, gather the essential supplies:
- Treats: Choose your dog’s favorite treats. Opt for small, bite-sized treats that are easy for your dog to handle and enjoy.
- A Quiet Environment: Begin in a quiet room with minimal distractions, especially if your dog is new to the game. A serene setting helps your dog focus and enjoy the experience.
- Patience and Enthusiasm: Dogs are incredibly perceptive to your energy! Stay enthusiastic and patient throughout the game to make it an enjoyable and positive experience for your furry friend.
2. Start with Basic Commands: Building the Foundation
A successful game of “Dog Hide and Go Seek” begins with basic obedience commands.
Ensure your dog is familiar with commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “come” because these commands serve as the foundation for the game, allowing you to guide your dog effectively.
3. Introduce the Game: Igniting Excitement
To introduce the game, follow these steps:
- Show and Sniff: Show your dog the treat and let them sniff it, creating anticipation and excitement around the treat, so your dog is eager to participate.
- Choose an Easy Spot: While your dog watches, find a relatively easy hiding spot in the same room. Initially, keep it simple to help your dog grasp the concept of the game.
4. Encourage Your Dog to Stay: Cultivating Patience
Patience is key to a successful game.
Encourage your dog to “sit” and “stay” while you hide the treat, and use a command like “wait” to convey that they should patiently wait for your signal.
5. Hide the Treat: The Element of Surprise
With your dog patiently waiting, quickly hide the treat in the chosen spot.
Start with partially visible spots, making it easier for your dog to find the treat initially. The element of surprise enhances the fun of the game.
6. Give the Release Command: Unleashing Excitement
Use a cue like “find it” or “search” to indicate to your dog that they can start looking for the treat.
This release command triggers your dog’s natural instincts, encouraging them to explore and discover.
7. Encourage and Praise: Positive Reinforcement
Encourage your dog to search for the treat. Then use an excited voice and praise them when they find it.
Positive reinforcement, such as saying “good job” or offering gentle pats, reinforces the behavior, making your dog more eager to play again.
8. Increase Difficulty Gradually: Enhancing the Challenge
As your dog becomes proficient, increase the difficulty level of the game by hiding treats in more challenging spots or use multiple hiding places.
Introduce new commands like “hot” or “cold” to guide your dog, indicating if they are getting closer or farther from the treat.
Finally, added challenge keeps the game exciting and mentally stimulating.
9. Keep Sessions Short and Positive: Tailoring the Experience
Every dog has a unique attention span so it can be important to keep dog Hide and Go Seek sessions short and positive, ideally lasting for a few minutes.
End each session on a high note, even if your dog didn’t find the treat every time these positive experiences create enthusiasm for future games.
10. Monitor Your Dog: Ensuring Safety and Enjoyment
While dog Hide and Go Seek is a delightful activity, always supervise your dog during the game.
This supervision ensures they don’t become frustrated or ingest anything harmful accidentally and your watchful eye guarantees a safe and enjoyable playtime.
How Luna & I Play Hide and Go Treat
How to hide the treats:
- Paper from rolls of toilet paper
- Sheet of magazine paper
- Smaller brown paper bags
The preparation:
- I place 1-2 treat in each aforementioned hiding tool
- Luna watches me & we count how many treats she’ll need to find
- I ask Luna to stay, in the kitchen as I go around the house hiding the treats
- Her verbal release is “okay go find them” and she’s off!
- Depending on where the treats are dispersed it will take her any where from 5-25 minutes to find all of them
Extras for you:
If you’re one to create games like this for your dog…have you considered meal prepping for them? Meal prepping for your dog is super easy with Luna’s Bowl, the macro calculator and meal prep guide I created for humans who love their dogs so much that they have to cook for them!
